Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-01-20
turesquo ''pioture-squo,' as it ia sylla.

4 hA0RNt0
DIR. Raub wrote the word ''calf" upon
the board asking the teachers to pro-
nounoe it, There was volume Of alto
and basso "ealfs." hut lust one solitary
"kaf," with the fiat a%hna ~ f.tp II
was only discovered rs the sonnd of the
pronunciation vanished Avolnme IT most
contemptuuuR laughter greeted its recog-
milton.
Considerable amusement and interest
was caused by d. Raub's placing the fol-
lowing list Of words upon the blackboard
demanding pronunciation from those
present.
As may be imagined there was the most
remarkable divergence of opinion. The
words acclimate benzine, bal
moral, defieit, Adonis, bromide, mogul,
occult, alabaster, phthisis, recitative
albumen, ,yagary, vendue, esquire amateur,
etiquette, squalor, microscopy bay rum,
gratis gladiolus, forge, bay window, bou.
doir, discourse, lien precedence, Carl
baldi, complex. The speaker offered a
premium to anyone who made all the
pronunciations correctly.
Another premium, a Webster's Una
bridged Dictionary, Is offered by DIR.
French to the best speller in the institute.
Wallace Bruce was then introduced,
who entertained the teachers in his usual
attractive manner.
Adjournment was then made to 2 p. m.
The third session of the institute con-
vened in the afternoon at 2 o'clock.
Superintendent Williams called for the
minutes of the previous session which
were read and approved. The first 10
minutes were devoted to the reading of a
humorous essay upon the subject, "The
Mythical School Ma'am" by one of the
teachers, Mrs. Florence T. Boss.
DIR. Raub then followed in continuation
of his talk upon spelling. He said: We
get to learn the meaning of and TO spell
three times as many words as we nse.
think we ought to learn the character or
spelling marks thoroughly of those words
we actually use. Certain teachers claim
that spelling should not be taught from
the speller, bnt from the reader. Are
you aware that many of our commonest
every. day words are not found in the
First, Second and Third Readers2 II is
great mistake to throw away the text
book in spelling. City Superintendent
MeAlister Of Philadelphia makes this mis-
take. His teachers are not allowed to use
the spelling textbooks in the public
schools. agree with DIR. French that it
is very wrong TO give up the SPELL
ing textbook. DIR. Raub advised
that children prepare their spelling reci-
tations by writing. and that from the very
first day they enter school. We think now
a-days that it is very well to begin with
script at once instead of print. Authori-
ties are coming to the conclusion that
script should be begun before print. But,
whichever is begun, put the little people
to work at once copying. believe the
law of association, as in the instance OF
perpendicular rows of similarly torn.in-
ating words, as able, table, cable, fable,
&C., is good aid in learning to spell. ]
think the object of language less ons H.
not to teach you how to think, but how to
express your thoughts. When words are
come across that children do not under.
stand it is best to stop right there and ex-
plain them.
DIR. Raub irstanced some strange cases
where the proper meaning of word had
been missed. On one occasion he had
been visiting distant school-house.
Upon the blackboard he noticed that the
teacher had written, in beautiful Spencer
text, the programme of the days leEsons
or recitations. DIR. Raub's attention was
arrested by the word ''aleoye" appearing
in that space where the usual arrange
ments would indicate the term 'recess."
He took the opportunity during an inter-
mission to inquire of the teacher the
meaning why the word was placed there
instead of ''recess." "0h!n said the
teacher in supereilious and con-
fident tone, 'Iook here" and the
| doctor was conducted conflingly
| to where Webster's dictionary lay.
| The teacher opened ft, and, after
a mqment's search, triumphantly pointed
TO the word ''recess,n which, sure enough,
gave the meaning aloove, Laughter.
This teacher did not doubt but That he
had full right to use it as he did. Another
case was that of Chinese student, who,
in his enforced speech making at a Ger.
tain school celebration in the south, at
the time when statue of General Lee
was being unveiled, made the remark
''May the good Lord pickle General Lee
and all his family" The Celestial, on
learning English, had hastily adopted the
first paraphrase of the word ''preserve"
that the dictionary afforded him, with the
above ludicrous result.
| DIR. Raub placed the following problem
upon the blackboard. While writing il
he observed, ''1his is not mathematical
question, but an photographed problem.
II is a workman's account"
Brass Plates....,,. .......... a16.0
wooden do... OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 800
wood 90. ..g........ ........... -. $40
'tWhat is the answer ?"
There was silence along all the rows of
teachers. Suddenly there was heard a
| subdued tittering and then almost stimuli
taneously all saw the rendering of the
riddle. The true amount of the bill is $8.
Superintendent Thomas M. Balliett, Of
Reading, Pa, next spoke upon "How to
Oritieize Children" He said:-It is the
easiest thing in the world to criticize or
to affect superiority over your neighbcr.
Nothing but helpful criticism is ever
in place. The purpose of it is and only
should be to help the one who in mistake
to become correct. Professor Balliett did
not wish it to be considered that what he
said shonld stick. He objected to dog
lnatism. Somebody has defined dog
matism rs puppyism grown up. The
| speaker suggested criticism in the read
| ing class by the teacher writing mispro.
nounced words upon the blackboard.
The teacher should never attempt to teach
the child emphasis. That comes neces.
sarily with an understanding of the pas.
sage.
Immediately after five minutes
''alcove,r as announced by Superin-
tendent Williams, Prof. Frye continued
his talk upon primary geography. he
said We cannot imagine any form which
we have not previously seen. How then
shall we study this subject? Why, in our
own district. In the multiple forms we
see around u.s. Let us study the hill.
From it we learn of larger hills or noun
tains, or ut least to comprehend their
| description in books. So of brooks,
streams and rivers. We must remember
we are teaching children of the urseen II by
the seen. The question is asked how fur
shall we study outside our district in this
primary way ? The reason we study the
| district ia so that we can imagine the uu-
seen world. We cannot logically study
from district TO state, and then to con-
tinent. We must learn of our district,
from that get ability to imagine the struc-
| ture of the unknown continent. This is
hardly moot question among educn-
tional authorities now. Only one German
authority thinks ii right TO go from dis
tIict TO state. All others say from dis
triet 10 continent. We study the district
not for the sake of the district but THAT
what the children study there may teach
them or suggest the unseen, leading them
from the seen to the unseen.
Mr.. Reynolds followed in most inter
esting talk upon the subject "Ety-
mology." The larger part of his re-
marks was taken from passage from
Sir William Hamilton. The speaker
ouoted each word, giving its root,